Nick Helm

{{Short description|English comedian, actor, and musician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}

{{Infobox comedian

| name = Nick Helm

| image = Nick Helm 2017.jpg

| imagesize = 200

| caption = Helm in 2017

| pseudonym =

| birth_name = Nicholas Tristan Phillip Helm

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|10|1|df=y}}

| birth_place = West Smithfield, England

| death_date =

| death_place =

| website ={{URL|nick-helm.co.uk/}}

| medium = {{flatlist|

  • Television
  • stand-up
  • music

}}

| nationality = British

| active = 2005–present

| genre =

| subject = {{unbulleted list

|British culture

|Relationships

|Human interaction

}}

| influences =

| influenced =

| spouse =

| notable_work = {{unbulleted list

|Uncle

|8 Out of 10 Cats

|Loaded

|"Nick Helm's Heavy Entertainment"

}}

}}

Nicholas Tristan Phillip Helm (born 1 October 1980) is an English comedian, actor and rock musician known for his comedic confrontational delivery.{{cite news|last=Challis|first=Chris|title=Nick Helm: Dare To Dream|url=http://www.theargus.co.uk/leisure/stage/9097409.Nick_Helm__Dare_To_Dream__Upstairs_at_the_Three_and_Ten__Brighton__June_22/ |access-date=7 February 2016|newspaper=The Argus|date=22 June 2011}} His routines have been described as "brash and bullish".{{cite news|last=Hall|first=Julian|title=Nick Helm: Keep Hold of the Gold|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/reviews/nick-helm-keep-hold-of-the-gold-soho-theatre-london-2203769.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220620/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/reviews/nick-helm-keep-hold-of-the-gold-soho-theatre-london-2203769.html |archive-date=20 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=7 July 2011|newspaper=The Independent|date=4 February 2011}} Many of his performances begin with him acting calmly and see him gradually getting more and more enraged about what he is talking about. He came to prominence following the success of his 2010 Edinburgh Fringe show Keep Hold of the Gold. In 2014, Helm made his main acting debut as lead character Andy in the BBC Three sitcom Uncle.

Early life

Helm was born in Barts Hospital in West Smithfield, London, and raised in Finsbury Park, until the age of 8 when he then moved to St Albans, Hertfordshire.{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/podcasts/richard_herring_lst_podcast/episode_45_nick_helm/|title=RHLSTP 45 - Nick Helm - RHLSTP with Richard Herring|first=British Comedy|last=Guide|website=British Comedy Guide}} He attended Cunningham Hill Primary School, after which he went to Sandringham Secondary School.{{cite news |last=Dakin |first=Melanie |url=http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/leisure/theatre/cfutheatrenews/9725275.Comedian_owes_career_to_Sandringham_School/?ref=rss |title=Comedian owes career to Sandringham School |work=Watford Observer |date=2012-05-24 |access-date=2015-05-23 }} Following this he attended the University of Winchester.

While at secondary school Helm began writing and performing. In 1997, when he was in the sixth form, his drama teacher Louise Howes brought the school's production of Romeo and Juliet to the Edinburgh Festival.{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/theatre-comedy-dance/interview-nick-helm-comedian-1-2462996 |title=Interview, Nick Helm, comedian |work=The Scotsman |date=2012-08-11 |access-date=2015-05-23 }} Helm played the part of Prince Escalus.

Career

With friends, Helm began taking shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the early 2000s with increasing levels of success.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/features/nick-helm-loud-aggressive--and-a-big-pussycat-off-stage-9051992.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220620/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/features/nick-helm-loud-aggressive--and-a-big-pussycat-off-stage-9051992.html |archive-date=20 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Nick Helm: Loud, aggressive – and a big pussycat off stage|work=The Independent|last=Gilbert|first=Gerard|date=12 January 2014}}

By 2007, Helm began performing solo stand-up, but also maintained his theatrical work with a 2008 Fringe show called I Think You Stink, which gained critical acclaim. Comedian Richard Herring called it a "lovely little hidden gem... funny, silly and slightly chilling... something very new and special".

Helm has worked closely with his friends on the stand-up circuit, performing mixed bill stand-up shows at the Fringe before his first fully solo show, Keep Hold of the Gold, in 2010.

In 2011, the follow-up, Dare to Dream, saw him nominated for the Fosters best comedy show{{cite web|url=http://www.comedyawards.co.uk/comedyshow.asp |title=Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2013 – Best Comedy Show |publisher=Comedyawards.co.uk |access-date=13 January 2014}} and a joke lifted from the show won Dave's award for the funniest joke of the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe: "I needed a password eight characters long so I picked Snow White and the Seven Dwarves".{{cite web|last=Murphy |first=Niall |url=http://www.broadsheet.ie/2011/08/26/the-10-best-jokes-of-the-2011-edinburgh-fringe/ |title=The 10 Best Jokes of the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe |publisher=Broadsheet.ie |date=26 August 2011 |access-date=13 January 2014}}

In 2012 Helm appeared regularly on the BBC Three series Live at the Electric performing songs with backing band, The Helmettes. There were further TV appearances on 8 Out of 10 Cats (including as Santa in the 2012 Christmas Special) and its spin-off 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (on which he has a recurring bit where he repeatedly fails to woo the show's lexicographer, Susie Dent),{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcXjQ759Z84|title=WEIRDEST 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown Romance?! {{!}} Best of Dictionary Corner Pt. 1|publisher=YouTube|date=14 March 2018|access-date=18 May 2021}} The Boyle Variety Performance, Russell Howard's Good News and a new show for Edinburgh, This Means War.

His 2013 Edinburgh Fringe show, One Man Mega Myth, strongly referenced Evel Knievel, and he was again nominated for Best Show in the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, losing out to Bridget Christie.{{cite news|last=Brocklehurst|first=Steven|title=Bridget Christie wins Foster's Edinburgh comedy award|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-23808788|access-date=25 August 2013|newspaper=BBC News|date=24 August 2013}}

Helm won the South Bank Sky Arts "The Times Breakthrough Award" on 27 January 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.sky.com/tv/show/south-bank-awards/article/winners-2014 |title=South Bank Sky Arts Winners 2014 |publisher=Sky.com |access-date=28 January 2014}}

Helm also plays guitar and sings. He has so far released three solo albums. His latest album is called Hot 'n' Heavy, released on 10 May 2013.{{cite web|url=http://open.spotify.com/album/42bPbvAYNBVNndPzSaFrEB |title=Hot 'n' Heavy by Nick Helm on Spotify |publisher=Open.spotify.com |date=10 May 2013 |access-date=13 January 2014}} He performed "He Makes You Look Fat", one of the tracks from his album, when he appeared as the stand-up guest on Russell Howard's Good News.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubr477hl3gc|title=nick helm he make you look fat|publisher=YouTube|date=5 June 2012|access-date=13 January 2014}}

In 2014 Helm started playing the lead role of Andy in the BBC Three sitcom Uncle.{{cite web|url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/production/2013/04/bbc3-orders-comedy-starring-stand-up-nick-helm/|title=BBC3 orders comedy starring stand up Nick Helm|publisher=The Stage|date=29 April 2013}} The show was written by Oliver Refson, and featured songs written and performed by Helm and his band. The third and final series of Uncle was screened in January–February 2017.

Helm's comedy/music show Nick Helm's Heavy Entertainment broadcast on BBC Three in May–June 2015.

In 2015 Helm co-wrote and co-starred with Esther Smith in an episode of the BBC Three online series of short stories, Funny Valentines. The episode, titled "Elephant",{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02j75pt|work=BBC Three website|title=Nick Helm: Elephant|date=13 February 2015 |access-date=22 June 2017}} was nominated for a Short Film BAFTA Award in 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/live/entertainment-arts-35260005| title=BBC News - Entertainment - 2016 BAFTA Awards Nominations | publisher=BBC | date=8 January 2016}}

In mid-2017 Helm starred in the sitcom Loaded (Channel 4), about a group of IT entrepreneurs who become millionaires when their company is bought out, and in the food comedic documentary Eat Your Heart Out with Nick Helm (Dave). He also performed Work in Progress shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, he starred in the online comedy series Angry Quiz Guy.

In August 2021, he starred as a guest on the Cheapshow podcast with fellow comedian Nathaniel Metcalfe.

Filmography

=Television=

;As actor

class="wikitable sortable"

! Year !! Title !! Role !! class="unsortable" | Notes

2010Big BabiesMajor Moustache (voice)13 episodes
2012–2017UncleAndy20 episodes
2013The Day They Came to Suck Out Our Brains!Ringer1.10 "Mankind Strikes Back"
2014SantageddonNick PliskinShort film
2014The MilkmanCustomerShort film
2015Funny Valentines: ElephantHimShort film; also writer
2015The Girl in the DressRobShort film
2016Hell's GardenSpade ManShort film
2017LoadedWatto8 episodes
2018Nick Helm: The Killing MachineSam MillerShort film
2018The Reluctant LandlordLemon13 episodes
2018Roast BattleSanta Claus2.06 "Christmas Special"
2021IntelligenceFin|1 episode
2024EastEndersOstrich Man1 episode
2025Father BrownThe Invisible Friends1 episode

;As himself

class="wikitable sortable"

! Year !! Title !! Role !! class="unsortable" | Notes

2010Russell Howard's Good NewsHimself3.07 "Episode: 2 December 2010"
2011Show & TellHimself1.03 "Maeve Higgins, Elis James and Nick Helm"
1.05 "Diane Morgan, Josh Widdicombe and Nick Helm"
2011So This Is Christmas!HimselfTelevision special
2012–20138 Out of 10 CatsHimself / Santa Claus6 episodes
2012Live at the ElectricHimself8 episodes
2012Nick Helm Solid Gold Super HitsHimselfTelevision miniseries
2012The Boyle Variety PerformanceHimselfTelevision special
2012The 50 Funniest Moments of 2012HimselfTelevision special
2013 '8 Out of 10 Cats' Does 'Deal or No Deal' HimselfTelevision special
2013–20218 Out of 10 Cats Does CountdownDictionary Corner Guest / Himself8 episodes
2013BBC Comedy FeedsHimself2.02 "Nick Helm's Heavy Entertainment"
2014,
2017–2018,
2024
Sunday BrunchHimself (guest)1.96 "Episode: 26 January 2014",
7 episodes (2017-2018),
Episode: 21 January 2024https://www.channel4.com/programmes/sunday-brunch/on-demand/75052-050 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}
2014Sweat the Small StuffHimself2 episodes
201530 Greatest Disaster MoviesHimselfTelevision documentary
2015Alan Davies: As Yet UntitledHimself (panelist)3.01
2015Greatest Sci-Fi MoviesHimselfTelevision documentary
2015Live at the ApolloHimself11.06 "Episode: 14 December 2015"
2015MastermindHimself (contestant)Celebrity Mastermind 2015/16: "Episode 6"
2016Drunk HistoryHimself2.09 "Episode Nine"
2018Roast BattleHimself1.02 "Episode: 16 January 2018"
2018How The Young Ones Changed ComedyHimselfTelevision documentary
2021Question TeamGuest Question SetterEpisode 1.02:{{Cite web|title=Question Team Series 1, Episode 2|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/question-team/episodes/1/2/|access-date=2021-11-01|website=British Comedy Guide|language=en-GB}} 1 November 2021

=Video games=

class = "wikitable"
Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

2005

| X3: Reunion

| Additional voices

|

Discography

class = "wikitable"
Year

! Title{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/3528478-Nick-Helm?superFilter=Releases | title=Nick Helm | website=Discogs }}{{cite web | url=https://www.last.fm/music/Nick+Helm/+albums | title=Nick Helm albums and discography }}

! Label

! Format

2011

| Keep Hold of the Gold

| Laughing Stock Productions

| rowspan="2"|CD, Download

2012

| Dare to Dream

| rowspan="2"|Redbush Entertainment

rowspan="3"|2013

| rowspan="2"|Hot 'n' Heavy

| Download

Glorious Management

| CD

Uncle: The Songs

| Baby Cow Productions

| rowspan="3"|CD, Download

2015

| Nick Helm's Single For Christmas

| Redbush Entertainment

2016

| Nick Helm is Fucking Amazing

| Glorious Management

2023

| Hot 'n' Heavy

| Fancy Pants

| LP

References

{{Reflist|2}}